When the ASU baseball team makes history, it’s usually a good sign.
Not this weekend.
The No. 6 Sun Devils (22-9, 5-4 Pac-10) were swept by Oregon State in Corvallis, dropping all three games of a Pac-10 series for the first time since 1999.
ASU scored first in each game, but failed to keep the momentum, losing to the No. 19 Beavers (24-7, 5-1 Pac-10) by scores of 5-3, 7-6 and 9-6.
The weekend got off to a promising start for the Sun Devils.
In the first inning Friday night, ASU took a 2-0 lead thanks to two RBI singles from junior third baseman Riccio Torrez and sophomore designated hitter Joey DeMichele.
The Beavers got a run back in the fifth with a two-out RBI single.
Two innings later, the wheels came completely off of ASU starter Brady Rodgers.
The sophomore ace allowed four runs on five hits, all with two outs, before freshman Trevor Williams took over from the bullpen.
The Sun Devils tried to make a late comeback, but could only score once more before OSU starter Sam Gaviglio (6-1) closed the door on ASU and sealed the 5-3 Beaver win.
Saturday proved to be the toughest day for the team.
ASU junior outfielder Andy Workman gave ASU a 2-0 lead in the third with a two-run homer.
“Anytime they start a left-hander, I try to get him in the game,” ASU coach Tim Esmay told The Fan AM 1060. “And he’s answered the bell. He’s been great and I expect him to be great going forward.”
Then OSU tied the game in its half of the inning with a two out two-run single off the bat of Beaver right fielder Jared Norris.
In the fourth, the Sun Devils took what seemed like a commanding lead, scoring four times, highlighted by a three-run homer from sophomore shortstop Deven Marrero.
ASU junior starter Kramer Champlin kept the Beavers at bay for most of his outing, but like Friday, the OSU offense came alive in the seventh.
“I thought he pitched well enough,” Esmay said. “He came out with the lead and gave our relievers a chance.”
The Beavers scored three times in the seventh off Champlin and got to the bullpen in the eighth to tie the game.
In the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded, ASU closer Mitchell Lambson (3-3) walked home the game-winning run on four straight pitches to give OSU the 7-6 win.
“It’s one of the toughest losses I’ve been involved in,” Esmay said. “We had control of that ballgame, but as we say, it’s a nine inning game and they did a good job coming at us at the end.”
Sunday, the bats in both dugouts came out early.
The two teams combined for 12 runs in the first three innings, resulting in a 7-5 OSU lead.
ASU sophomore starter Jake Barrett (3-3) was taken out in the third inning, leaving the bullpen to handle the rest of the game.
The Beavers scored single runs in the sixth and seventh to extend their lead to four before ASU finally got back on the board in the eighth with a Torrez RBI single.
In the ninth, OSU reliever Matt Boyd finished off the sweep and secured the Beaver win 9-6.
Reach the reporter at tyler.emerick@asu.edu
